Cheap Lift Tickets on Your iPhone, iPad

San Francisco’s very own lift ticket discounter, Liftopia.com, received approval for its iPhone app this week, which should make it easier for the mobile phone set to get quickie discounts on tickets, even when you’re already on the road to the Sierra.

Kidding aside, the cost of passes has reached abusive levels around the country and this is one way you can get a bit of a break. Much like ticket brokers such as StubHub, Liftopia offers a secondary market for tickets the resorts and others are trying to unload. For instance, the site has tickets for Kirkwood later this month going for $54, which is about 30 percent off the ticket window price.

Among the coolest features on the new app — which will feature weather updates, directions and other doo-dads — is that customers will be able to buy their tickets on the app and then just show their phones at the ticket window to get their passes. In other words, no need to print out receipts or vouchers.

Liftopia sells tickets for more than 150 ski areas, up to 80 percent off ticket window prices.